Thirsty
by InvinciChicken
Summary: A little adventure for some defenders of justice... Ch 7: Taking on a case when sick makes Edgeworth crabby, Maya panicks from her tight schedule
1. My tea is ruined!

November 11  
11:28 AM  
District Court  
Lobby #3

Water. It was really all he wanted, but the vending machine was stubborn and unmoving. Miles Edgeworth stared at the collection of soft drinks and candy bars, wondering exactly when they had stopped selling normal drinks and instead stocked things like "Blooz Fizzinator – Watermelon Peach."

Finally he sighed and bought a bottle of iced tea. The machine ate his bill and dropped the bottle heavily. Edgeworth picked it up, tasted it tentatively—ugh, so sweet—but then tipped it back and swigged a large gulp. It couldn't be helped if everybody else chose to ruin their health and tastes with such cheap drinks on a daily basis. This was just a one time thing… At least he was less thirsty now.

His case today was solid, airtight, and quite routine. When he had first received the report, he had been puzzled as to why the murder weapons were a toy train and a fork, but now that all the evidence was laid out… He couldn't lose this case. The thought made the tea taste a little better. A few fliers on a nearby wall caught his attention. "WalkNOW, join our walk to aid children with autism." "Samurai Bros. Ready for Action!" "Please donate--$1 can save a starving child." "Help end poverty today…"

Just then a set of double doors burst open and people began to trickle out. Apparently Courtroom 4 was also holding a recess, and he knew exactly who had been bluffing away in there…

"Hey, Edgeworth!" called Phoenix Wright, looking very flustered and holding a fistful of papers. "You're having a break too?"

"Yes," he replied, capping the bottle. "How's your case so far?"

"Horrible would be putting it lightly. You won't believe how much evidence there is against him."

"Really."

"Yeah, the club had his prints all over it… We already have two witnesses about to testify and I'm sure there will be more later… There were several suspicious items found in the closet… And of course that photograph… Oh yeah. Not to mention that he admits that he did it. I'm pretty much screwed."

"Do you think you can win, Wright?"

"Yes." Phoenix's face hardened. "There's no doubt that my client isn't the killer. I just need to prove it… I'm sure I'll find something. Anyway, what about you?"

Edgeworth snorted. "Heh. All evidence is in my favor. We're just taking a break while the next witness is summoned."

"I see…" Phoenix muttered, then noticed his watch. His eyes went wide. "Oops! 5 minutes are almost up. I gotta get prepared. Mind if I have a drink?"

Rather surprised, he handed over the bottle. Phoenix hastily gulped down the contents of the bottle, his lips sucking greedily at the rim. Edgeworth's eyes widened with disgust at the sight. That was his tea…

"I owe you one," he sighed with satisfaction, handing the bottle back and wiping his mouth. "See you later!" And with that he was gone.

Edgeworth stood dumbfounded for a few moments, then swirled the remaining liquid. There wasn't a lot left. He was about to throw it away, but suddenly the flier about the starving children caught his eye. _This tea cost a dollar..._

"Wright, you bastard," he growled as he drained the last of the tea, trying not to think about the residue his friend had made. He crumpled the bottle and hurriedly headed back to his courtroom.


	2. Earthquakes are convenient plot devices

November 11   
1:44 PM  
District Court  
Lobby #3 

"Ugh, Nick, you just had some of my water!" hissed Maya. "I paid for this smoothie!"

"Please, Maya," he begged. "I'm really thirsty…"

"Fine, fine," she mumbled, reluctantly letting him sip her strawberry flavored beverage. He drank for nearly 30 seconds before finally handing the cup back to her. It felt noticeably lighter. "Niiiiiiick!"

"I'll buy you another one later," he protested as she glowered with anger. "I just don't feel too well today. It's really hot."

"Ew. Maybe you're coming down with something." Maya wrinkled her nose and thrust the cup back into his hands. "Here, have the rest. I guess you deserve it. You really aced that trial today."

Phoenix grinned and downed the rest of the smoothie. It felt good flowing down his parched throat. "Well, I always knew he was innocent. But thanks, Maya. That makes two I owe today…"

"Huh?"

"Oh, Edgeworth was here earlier. I guess his trial already ended. He gave me some iced tea." He tossed the cup towards the trashcan, but it bounced off the rim. "Oops."

"Mr. Phoenix Wright!" Maya and Phoenix both turned, startled.

"Franziska?!" they exclaimed together, dumbfounded. She was standing in the doorway to Courtroom 4, her arms crossed and the handle of her whip gripped firmly in her hand.

"Littering in a courtroom now? I didn't think even you would sink so low." She motioned her whip hand towards the cup now resting against the opposite wall, but her piercing gaze never left their faces. Maya gulped audibly.

"What're you doing here?" Phoenix asked as he went to pick up his trash.

"I was watching your trial. What is wrong with that?"

"Um… nothing?"

"You did well, I suppose," she said airily, starting to toy with the end of the whip. "Next time, however, you should not be so sure of your luck. We will meet again, in court, Mr. Phoenix Wri—"

She suddenly trailed off. All three of them had felt it: a slight tremor in the earth. Then, suddenly, it was like the ground had come alive. Maya slipped when the floor gave a sudden buck and she grabbed the closest thing to her, which ended up bringing Phoenix down too. The next moment Franziska was beside them.

"Hurry up and get under here!" she shouted, shoving them towards the bench. They scurried beneath it as the building heaved and creaked around them in the earthquake.

"Ahhh!" cried Maya as the vending machine tipped over. "Nick!"

She suddenly felt his arms around her.

"Nick…"

The lights flickered madly, then suddenly dimmed. A moment later the quake subsided, and then one by one the lights came on again. Maya held very still, hardly daring to breathe. They'd never been quite so close before...

After they were sure that the tremors had ceased, all three of them crawled out from beneath the bench. They were a little shaken, but unhurt. Unfortunately, there were shards of glass all over the floor, as well as spilled drinks.

"Watch your step, Maya," warned Phoenix, pointing at her open toed shoes.

"I will, thanks Nick," she replied, curling her toes.

"I… better go check on him…" said Franziska faintly, this time not meeting their eyes. She turned around swiftly and walked out of the lobby, heels clicking loudly against the floor. It took a split second more for Phoenix and Maya to realize who she meant. They looked at each other with matching expressions, guilty for not having remembered Edgeworth.


	3. Traffic in LA is horrible

November 11  
2:03 PM  
Apartment Complex  
Edgeworth's Apartment

Franziska didn't bother to knock or call; she simply used the spare key Miles had given her and stepped inside his home. The place was dim. A box of food from some restaurant was still on the table, obviously unopened since he had gotten home. From somewhere further in she could hear water running.

Cautiously she made her way into the hallway, the sound of water growing louder as she approached the bedroom. The door was half closed, but she could see the glow of light from the bathroom and hear the rushing sound of water washing down the sink. She pushed open the door.

Miles was where he had probably been for the past 20 minutes—sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall, his head buried in his arms and his body tense and shivering. The water spilled out of the tap in the bathroom, and a bar of soap lay forgotten on the floor. Franziska ignored all that and knelt in front of him, placing one gloved hand on his arm. _So foolish... _She frowned. _Why didn't I come sooner...?_

"Miles…" She could feel him trembling beneath her fingers. He didn't respond.

So she sat quietly with him instead, not minding the time that passed.

After what seemed like hours she suddenly felt his hand tentatively folding over her own. "Franziska… what…"

She looked up at his face, no longer hidden by his arms, but his eyes were already closed. He looked like he was asleep. A strange expression crossed her face, almost like one of tenderness, but in a flash it was gone. Gently she helped him onto the bed, then cleaned up the bathroom and went outside to let him sleep.


	4. 3 for the price of 1, it's a bargain

Sorry for not updating for so long. Here's a ginormous 3-for-1 deal.

* * *

November 11  
5:18 PM  
Burger Joint   
Booth #6 

Maya was angry and sad at the same time.

"But why?" she whined. "Why can't you come?"

"Sorry," Nick replied. His voice was scratchy. "You were right, I think I'm sick."

"But I'm hungry…!"

"I don't want to get you infected, Maya!"

"Oh… Fine…" she murmured, her lower lip jutting out in frustration. "It's ok, I can eat without you. I'll come see you later, alright?"

"Uhh… But… you might get sick!"

"Don't worry, I have a spare gas mask at home that I can wear!"

There was a moment of silence on the other end. Finally, Phoenix managed to say something.

"Um… that's great Maya. In that case I guess I'll see you later… Bye."

Maya flipped her phone shut and slurped at her Coke.

* * *

November 11  
5:18 PM  
Los Angeles  
Edgeworth's Apartment 

When Edgeworth woke up he was a little disoriented. The last thing he remembered was putting the box of food onto the table. Now for some reason he was lying in bed, and the lighting was noticeably darker, and his throat stung like whiplash.

He sat up, the sudden movement making him groggy.

The swaying of the room suddenly made him remember what had happened.

Earthquake.  
Fear.  
Panic.  
Terror.  
Darkness...

His breathing skipped a little and he buried his head in his palms, trying to control the fear. Focus, focus… he tried to think of something calming, something distracting, and he suddenly remembered someone calling his name. He couldn't tell if it was young or old, male or female, but he latched onto the memory and tried to relax.

When he finally got out of bed he noticed he was still wearing his dress shirt and trousers, although no jacket or cravat. That was really odd—he was definitely not the type to wear work clothes to bed. Edgeworth rubbed one eye and walked down the hallway. His toes curled from the coolness of the floor. Where were his slippers?

He stopped by the refrigerator, pulled out a jug of water, and poured it into a big glass. But no matter how much he drank he still felt like he needed more. _Crap_, he thought. By California standards it was still summer. He had another murder case in a day. He couldn't get sick now! Edgeworth drained another glass, his eyes squeezed painfully together as he tried to think. He poured again. _Lana is not going to be pleased,_ he grimaced. He picked up his cup and walked past the fridge to enter the kitchen fully.

He nearly dropped the glass.

"Franziska…?!"

What the hell was she doing in his apartment, in his kitchen, asleep at his table?

* * *

November 11  
7:45  
Apartment Complex  
Phoenix's Apartment 

Maya walked in with quite a load of goods in her arms.

"Jeez, Maya," Phoenix muttered, a cool cloth covering his forehead and part of his eyes. "How much stuff did you buy…?"

"Not much…" she wheezed, her voice tinny.

"Holy crap!" he shouted, nearly flying out of his bed when he saw her face. "I didn't think you were serious!"

"Huh?" she whined, adjusting her gas mask. "You mean this? ...Why would I lie to you, Nick?"

He couldn't see her expression, as it was obviously blocked by the huge and rather scary mask, so he decided to simply nod and clap his mouth shut. Maya approached and he flinched involuntarily, and when she pushed the bag of groceries into his hands he felt like he was being delivered a bomb. He felt a strange sense of relief when he only saw perfectly harmless items. Inside were several bottles of cold and flu medication, cough syrup, herbal pills, vapor strips, aspirin, a box of band-aids, 3 cooling packs, and a pair of small scissors.

"Maya… I don't think you needed to buy this much…"

She was pulling off her mask (he didn't stop her). Her face was shocked underneath it. "But! I didn't know exactly what kind of cold you have so I decided to be safe and buy them all! Then I thought you would have a cough, so I bought the syrup. Then I thought…" She was beginning to ramble.

"Ok, ok!" he interrupted as she began to talk about arthritis. "Thanks for the thought. I really do appreciate it."

"I also thought you might be hungry," she mumbled, pulling out a white cardboard box and pushing it into his hands.

He opened it carefully, since it had shifted slightly when he caught it. He was surprised to find a cup of chicken noodle soup, two tomato-and-cream-cheese sandwiches cut into perfect triangles, a wedge of his favorite cheese, and a cup of hot cocoa. She had guessed perfectly; just the comfort food that he needed.

"Thank you, Maya…" he said, touched. "You're so sweet."

To his surprise she blushed. He had never seen her act unsure of herself. "I-it was nothing…"

He opened all the caps and lids that the food was in, watching his soup steam for a moment. The food was still hot—she must have run all the way from the restaurant to his apartment to make sure that it would be fresh. It smelled good... familiar almost...

"H-hey!" she mumbled, her face still pink but her eyes confident again. "You should eat your food now! Don't make me nervous!"

He grinned and, obediently, picked up the chicken soup and sipped it. Maya smiled contentedly.


	5. another overdone flashback type thing

_Franziska followed them silently, though resolutely, her pigtails bouncing high as she walked next to Miles. On his other side was a girl, almost 3 years older than him, but with a young and naïve expression on her face. Her cheerful smile belied a much darker persona—ordinary law students did not study under Manfred von Karma._

_They were talking—no, chatting—about the girl's upcoming birthday. She would be 18, finally an adult, and finally able to gloat about the fact that she would be 18 and Miles would still be 15 for a good number of months. Franziska didn't want to hear it. Her stomach writhed as Miles smiled, with carelessness that he did not share with her. The girl hit him playfully with her book._

Why her?_ Franziska nibbled on her lower lip and crossed her arms tightly. Her papa tutored quite a few students, though something nasty nearly always happened to them eventually due to some lawsuit or another. Nobody seemed to mind; being mentored by the esteemed prosecutor practically guaranteed a flurry of requests once the student was officially made a lawyer. Of course, he only had two full-time students: herself, and Miles Edgeworth._

So why her?_ She bit harder into her lip. Why did they have to pick each other out of the cloud of focused law students? Maybe it was that girl's two-sided character, a playfully immature child on one hand, a darkly intelligent woman on the other. Maybe it was her skill with law. Maybe it was her dark chocolate hair and the way she carried herself so elegantly despite her lack of height. Maybe he thought her beautiful._

_"Umm…" Franziska snapped out of her own world. The girl was talking to her… she had the nerve to talk to her…! She wanted to hit that witch._

"_Franziska… your lip is bleeding…" the girl said, her voice concerned but her face still innocent. Easy to hate._

_She flinched and rubbed her wrist across her mouth, bringing away a faint smear of red._

_"You should go get some ice for that," Miles said, his smile slowly fading away._

It's just a stupid cut_, she wanted to shout. _It's nothing._ But the words deadened in her throat. They were both staring at her now, as though she were somebody they knew only vaguely. There was a long moment of silence._

_She turned and ran. A cloud of leaves and dust rose explosively in her wake._

_"Franziska!" Miles tried to stop her but she had surprised him with her sudden sprint._

_She ran in the opposite direction of the von Karma mansion. The last thing she needed was ice. A rubber band dropped from her hair and her left pigtail came free, but she ignored it and kept running._

_"Franziska!"_

_And kept running._

_"_Franziska!_"_

_You're brainless, she thought savagely. _You're a fool.

_"_Franziska!_"_

_Stop leaving me behind, Miles Edgeworth. Only I can protect you._

_"_Franziska!_"_

November 11  
5:31 PM  
Apartment Complex  
Edgeworth's Apartment

"Franziska!"

She woke suddenly, thoroughly, as though she were never asleep at all. Her heart was pounding with fear.

"Are you all right?" Miles was shaking her lightly, as though she were still asleep.

"I… I'm fine…" she said, just a bit shakily.

"Was it a nightmare?" His face was composed, but his eyes were furrowed with concern. _Foolish boy_, she thought. _Why are you always like this with me?_

"It was just a dream," she snapped.

He still had that abominable expression on his face.

"It was a good dream," she added. _Or at least for you it was. Any idiot could tell what you two did after I left…_

She was surprised to see him looking almost a little hurt, like he knew she was keeping a secret. She softened a little. It was all in the past, anyway. It was just a dream.

"I… apologize," she muttered. "Nothing happened, really."

He nodded as a reply. The silence stretched on, interminably. Franziska frowned slightly. Ever since Miles had left to practice law in the United States 5 long years ago, their silences had changed from understanding to uncomfortable.

Finally Miles broke the quiet.

"Why are you here?"

"There was an e-earthquake," she said, averting her eyes. She felt a sudden rush of embarrassment. She hadn't wanted him to think that she was concerned, but he would know. He always knew. There was a momentary pause and her frown deepened.

"...I'm touched," he said at last. Now he knew who's voice it had been, who it was who had pulled him back to his senses.

Miles reached out and took a few strands of her hair into his fingers, brushing them away from her face. Franziska started and looked up, completely surprised.

It was a gesture of affection he hadn't done since their childhood. She had forgotten how they used to play and study together… before _she_ came…

"Stop it," she cried suddenly, surprising herself as she shoved her chair back. It grated across the linoleum. "I have to go now. I have a case tomorrow…" She turned quickly and started to walk out of the kitchen.

"Wait," Miles said, springing up and grabbing her arm. "Please stay, at least for dinner."

"I…"

"…"

"I can't. I'm sorry."

She gently pried his hand off and left, swift as a breeze.

* * *

Yep, I have no idea where this fic is going. Bite me. 


	6. omg date change

I discovered that I screwed up in a previous chapter.

OMG I KNOW I'll do a request sketch/oneshot for whoever spots what I changed ;)

* * *

November 12  
8:00 AM  
Apartment Complex  
Maya's Apartment 

Maya woke up to a loud yell of "Samurai Spear!" from her Steel Samurai alarm clock. She mumbled and turned over without opening her eyes, feeling the sun trailing warmth down her back. It was warm and beautiful weather. Her eyelids fluttered apart slowly and she took her time putting on her robe and walking into her living room. She picked up the phone, already making the days plans in her head.

"Uhrr…" mumbled Phoenix after he picked up the phone. He sounded utterly miserable. Maya smiled tenderly at the thought of him droopy-eyed and wistful, waiting for her to show up.

"Hello!" she said cheerfully. "Today… we're gonna get you checked up at the doctor's!"

"Ungh… Maya… you can't drive…" he croaked thickly. A pause followed, with audible gulping of water. "And neither can I."

"Well… we'll take the train!" she offered.

"The clinic is too close for that…"

"Fine, the bus then," she countered.

"The bus stop isn't anywhere near—"

"We'll walk!"

"No! No, wait, wait…" he stammered. "We don't really have to go toda—"

"Of course we are!" she interrupted energetically. "I'll call Mr. Edgeworth or Gumshoe and see if they'll give us a ride!"

"W… wai—"

She hung up before he could argue any more and then began to search for Edgeworth's and Gumshoe's numbers.

* * *

November 12  
8:07 AM  
Apartment Complex  
Edgeworth's Apartment 

Edgeworth woke up with a throbbing headache. He sat up, fighting vertigo, reaching blindly for the phone that was ringing maniacally and loudly.

"Damnit!" he growled as he knocked the receiver off onto the floor, and was rewarded by a sharp pain in his throat. Like he'd swallowed sand. He forced himself to take a deep breath before he pressed the "talk" button. It wasn't often that he snapped like that, but things hadn't been going too well… especially with her…

"Hello?" he said distractedly as he tried to look for his slippers.

"Mr. Edgeworth, where exactly are you?" snapped a stern voice, cool but tinged with anger. Chief Prosecutor Lana Skye… what did she want? He blinked groggily as he tried to think. "You're an hour late to the office! And you have a case in just 2 hours!"

He flashed a quick look at the clock and groaned. The alarm light was still on, so he knew he must have slept right through it. The red wine he had drunk the night before had not mixed well with his illness. He licked his lips, trying to sound normal, but starting to feel a twinge of panic.

"Apologies, Chief Prosecutor," he said demurely. "There was a… slight problem with my case. I was just working on smoothing it out. I'll be at the office in a few minutes." _I need to stay away from Wright for awhile, he thought darkly, or I'll learn more than just bluffing techniques…_

"Well…" Lana sighed loudly. "You're not one of our top prosecutors for no reason. But don't expect me to let you off easy next time." She hung up.

Edgeworth sighed and rumpled his hair, then coughed briefly. Just by looking at the information, evidence, and eyewitnesses, it was an open-and-shut case. However, his courtroom showdowns with Phoenix Wright had taught him to tread cautiously around cases like this. He didn't know how he would be able to prosecute while coughing and sneezing, but his pride was too strong for him to call Lana and drop the case.

Suddenly the phone in his hand began to ring.

"Hello?" he said cautiously, wondering if Lana had seen through his perfect mask of well-being.

"Good morning, Mr. Edgeworth!" a bright voice greeted.

"…Who is this?" The voice sounded familiar…

"Whaaat?! It's Maya Fey! ...I can't believe you don't remember me…"

"No… I mean, yes, I do," he said quickly. He knew just how explosive the girl could be… though he wasn't complaining, seeing as how that energy had saved his life once in court.

"Look, I was wondering if you could drive Nick and me to the doctor's office today…"

"That's odd; is he sick? What a strange coincidence…"

"Huh?" She sounded a bit dumbfounded. "Are you sick too?"

"Something like that."

"Wow… well… maybe we could all go together to the doctor's?" She paused awkwardly. _Right_, she thought, _like a trip there is a field day in the park._

"Sorry, Maya. I have a case in a few hours."

"Ah, ok. I'm gonna call Gumshoe then. Thanks anyway, Mr. Edgeworth. Bye."

"Wait," he said. "Give Wright my regards."

"Ok, Mr. Edgeworth," she giggled. "He says he loves you too." She hung up before he could answer.

He sat stunned for a few moments as he tried to digest what Maya had just said, but only one thought ran through his mind.

_What the hell?!_

* * *

November 12  
8:22 AM  
Apartment Complex  
Maya's Apartment 

Maya punched in Gumshoe's office number next, still giggling at the thought of Edgeworth's bewildered expression. He was probably in there right now, working on a new case. Or three. She paused a moment before punching in the last number to dump tea leaves into a teapot filled with hot water and relax in the comfort of the couch. Every inch of her apartment pleased her. She knew she was lucky to have found such a nice place to live in for so cheap. It was close to the courthouse… and Phoenix's apartment as well. Perfect for quick commute every day... and of course, when she needed somebody to talk to.

The phone was picked up on the third ring, but nobody answered. "Hello, Detective Gumshoe?" she asked hesitantly.

"The detective isn't here…" said a woman's voice, steely and with a faint accent.

"Uhh… Ms. Von Karma? Is that you?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"It's Maya Fey. What are you doing at the police department?"

"I'm researching something here." Franziska sounded terse, impatient. "Do you need something?"

"Well, I was gonna ask Gumshoe if he could drive me and Nick to the doctor's office, but… can you drive?"

"Yes, but my American license has already expired."

"Oh…ok," Maya said, disappointed.

"Have you tried calling Miles?" she asked absent-mindedly, like she was searching for something.

"Yes, but he said he had a case in a few hours… He also sounded pretty down himself, like he was—"

"Down?" she interrupted.

"Um… yeah. He sounded a little ill to me…"

"I see…" Franziska's voice was suddenly hard. "I must go now."

Maya blinked. "Wait, can you get Gum—"

"That Scruffy detective isn't here now. He's returning from an investigation after lunch." Click.

"Again… not again…" she fumed as she put the phone down. "Looking down on me just like before." Her hand trembled angrily as she poured out a cup of tea. She drank it down, feeling a little better. It was amber-gold, fragrant, and soothing. Pearl had just brought another package of it a few days ago, fresh from Kurain.

"Oh, no," she said, suddenly remembering. "Pearl… was it today that I was supposed to get her?" She groaned, trying to remember. More tea…

She sighed and put the cup back into her saucer. The teapot was empty now. _Mia used to make tons of this for me… she knew how much I like this tea… How did she manage to hold everything together? Sometimes I feel so inadequate…_

Maya quickly shook her head. _No more pessimism, bad Maya!_

If she hurried now, she could make it to Kurain, pick up Pearl, and be back just in time for lunch to catch Gumshoe. Then they could finally get the exact medicine that would make Phoenix feel better. Another tender smile crossed her face at the thought. _Just wait, Nick, I'll be there soon._


	7. plz dun shoot meh for self insertion

This story is getting too long for it's own good  
So hopefully all subsequent chapters will be longer chapters which equal less chapters. I also feel like starting this story over, since the beginning is so weak. Please tell me if I should rewrite it or not.

* * *

November 12  
8:25 AM  
Apartment Complex  
Edgeworth's Apartment 

Edgeworth dressed quickly, feeling more uneasy as the minutes ticked by. The courtroom was about 15 minutes away, probably more because of rush hour traffic at this time of the morning. Fortunately he was an inherently tidy person: the reports and evidence were neatly filed away in his briefcase, which was sitting by the door. _Unlike Wright_, he thought with an almost mischievous smile. _I'll bet he's like this every morning, except worse._

Still, he didn't feel good about this case. He would be convicting a girl of murdering her own father. Charges were being pressed by her stepfather. The girl's 18th birthday had occurred only in the past month. Had the crime occurred earlier, she would have escaped capital punishment.

He gritted his teeth as he hurried to the kitchen for a quick bite of breakfast. Somebody had to take the case, after all. But he felt so damned tired, and his limbs felt so achy and weak, he just wanted to go back to bed and sleep it all off.

When he reached the refrigerator he burst into a fit of coughing. _Damn, damn, damn! Never thought the flu season would come so early this year. _He took an apple from the fridge and was about to leave when a memory hit him.

_"Oops! 5 minutes are almost up. I gotta get prepared. Mind if I have a drink?"_

An mix of anger and incredulity flared immediately. Phoenix Wright!

_"Wright, you bastard."_

Nobody performed well when ill, and now he was going to lose another case, and all because of that defense attorney. Not to mention he was late, would probably get chewed out by Lana again, Franziska was mad at him, Maya was making fun of him…

He closed his eyes and regained his calm composure. He'd been hit with worse illnesses and situations before. Not to mention he had no right to be mad at any of those people. He hoped that it was just the virus that was making him crabby. For now he had to concentrate on getting to work, and planning out his case.

* * *

November 12  
8:44 AM  
Train Station  
Platform 6 

The train blew a long, shrill whistle. Maya, who was still at the bottom of two flights of stairs, panicked and started to run.

"Aww, nuts!" she moaned. "Why did I have to dawdle?" She clutched at the gifts that she was going to bring to Pearl. Searching for them had taken what seemed like hours. Pearl better like these…

"C'mon, c'mon, wait for me, please!" With superhuman effort she leapt the last four steps and dashed past bewildered people. To her utter horror her train was moving slowly. She was going to miss her train! The next one wouldn't come for half an hour. There was no way she could afford to miss it.

She leapt again, an amazing display of speed and distance, into the open door of the train. For a split second she thought she would fall into the tracks, but she grabbed wildly for the safety bar and managed to hang on. Thank God they hadn't closed the door. Her heart was pounding with the thrill of adrenaline and her knees trembled. She let out a long breath and leaned against the wall for support.

To her surprise she saw people standing around her, suitcases in hand, like they were about to get off. They were staring at her curiously. A conductor cocked his eyebrows.

"You know," he said slowly, "if you had waited just a moment longer, we would have stopped…"

* * *

November 12  
10:00 AM  
District Court  
Courtroom #2 

"This trial is now in session for the trial of Ms. Ina Sentz."

"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor," Edgeworth said, ignoring the burning in his throat.

"The defense is also ready, Your Honor," replied the woman across from him. Her long black hair fell loosely down her back and she was dressed in a standard business suit. She didn't seem ready at all. The woman was at least 25, but every expression broadcasted her immature heart. She was indifferently examining her fingernails, an expression of utter laziness cast over her face, her papers strewn messily over her desk. Her eyes were a different matter, though: they were staring coldly at him through narrowed lids. He glared back.

"Your opening statement please, Mr. Edgeworth," said the Judge.

"The prosecution seeks to prove the guilt of Ms. Ina Sentz for the murder of her father, Mr. Colman Sentz," he said. "All evidence points to this fact."

"Preposterous," came the prompt reply from the defense attorney across from him. "I, defense attorney Amanda Fan, will prove the defendant not guilty."

"The court acknowledges your request," the Judge said. "Mr. Edgeworth, you may call your first witness."

He called for Dick Gumshoe. The detective took the stand, looking a bit nervous.

"Your name and occupation, please…"

"I'm Dick Gumshoe, sir," he said, scratching his head. "I'm a detective down at the precinct, investigating this homicide."

"Now, if you would give a description of the case."

"Mr. Colman Sentz was found dead in his house at approximately 3:00 AM on November 10th. The autopsy report says he died anywhere from 11 PM to 2 AM the previous night. Cause of death was a single pistol shot in the neck."

"Hold it!" interrupted Amanda. "Why did you arrest Ina Sentz?"

"I'm getting there, pal," Gumshoe answered quickly. "The murder weapon was found in her bedroom the next day. Also, we have this piece of evidence…"

He took out a tape recorder. The courtroom gradually quieted as he pushed the play button.

_"What… what are you doing?"_

_"Heh..heh..." A woman's voice.  
_

_"Put that gun away!"_

_"GRRAAAH!!"_

_"N…no…" Blood gurgled with every word. "Ina… why…"_

A chill ran down Edgeworth's spine as he listened and he found himself struggling to keep his face calm.

"Mr. Sentz had just begun to record a song off the radio when he was murdered," said Gumshoe sadly. "But the only thing that ended up recorded was his death."

"This can hardly be decisive evidence!" Amanda shouted. "He does not specifically name Ina as the murderer."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Gumshoe. "I didn't say this was decisive evidence… we do have a decisive witness, however."

"Then, please call this witness," said the Judge.

"The prosecution calls Mr. Cullen…" Edgeworth suddenly stopped.

Franziska was in the stands, staring blankly at the defendant's chair where Ms. Ina Sentz was sitting. Her face had a stricken look on it. The expression was startlingly out of place. If it hadn't been for her distinct clothes he would never have recognized her.

_What's up with her?_ he thought, almost frightened at the wild look in her eyes. _She's been acting so strangely..._

"Mr. Edgeworth?" The Judge was looking at him expectantly.

"Sorry, Your Honor," he said, looking away. He was beginning to have doubts about this trial. "The prosecution calls Mr. Cullen Hades to the stand…"

* * *

November 12   
10:36 AM   
Kurain Village   
Fey Manor 

"PEARLY!" shouted Maya. "I'M HERE, PEARLY!"

"M-mystic Maya!" came a faint voice. The sound of pattering feet grew louder, until Pearl suddenly threw herself out from the manor and tackled Maya, sending them both staggering across the porch.

"Pearly… ouch… where did you learn to glomp like that…?" Maya struggled out of Pearl's tight grasp, then dusted herself off and gave the girl a normal hug.

"What's a... glom-puh?" Pearl asked, her head tilted curiously.

"It's what you just did… oh, never mind. It's good to see you again!"

"Mystic Maya!" she bawled. "I've missed you so much!"

"B-but…" Maya stammered, "you just came to visit a few days ago…"

"You never come to visit Kurain anymore!" Pearl looked up at her with huge, solemn eyes. "The other trainees always wonder why the future Master never comes to teach…"

"Oh… well, how are they doing?"

"Mystic Sabrina is teaching them now… but she says she wishes you would come back…"

"Pearly…" she sighed. "I'm sorry, I just seem to be busier than usual… Anyway, Nick hasn't been feeling well lately, so…"

Pearl suddenly brightened. "What about Mr. Nick?" she asked. "Is he ill?"

"Yeah, looks like he has the flu or something…"

"Aww… and you've been taking care of him!" A delighted smile spread across her face. "It's so… sweet!"

"P-PEARLY!" Maya's cheeks flushed pink. "I-it's not like that!"

"Ooooh," she answered happily, "It's so perfect… you two…"

"A-anyway! I'm going to take him to the doctor's later."

"Can I come, Mystic Maya?"

"Only if you behave!" Maya planted her hands on her hips. "That means no teasing or embarrassing me or Nick."

"Oh, that's not very fun…" Pearl said, though she gave no sign of being affected by the scolding. The silly, starstruck smile was still on her lips. "Then, I'll leave Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick together like a good girl."

"N-n-no! No teasing, remember?"

"Ok, Mystic Maya, I'll try to remember… When do we go?"

"Well, Nick's appointment is at 2 PM, so we should go now. By the way, here's a present that I brought for you."

Pearl took the package eagerly and began to unwrap it.

"OH WOW!" she shouted, holding the gift in her hands. "It's… it's…"

"That's right, the limited edition Pink Princess doll that you've been wanting. See, she comes with all these accessories… and she can talk too!"

Pearl immediately jumped up and gave Maya another fierce hug. "Thank you so much, Mystic Maya!"

"You're… you're welcome…" Maya groaned. Pearl had grown a bit since the last time she had hung so excitedly from Maya's neck. "Now let's… get to the…train station… Urk, Pearly, you're choking me…"

"Sorry, Mystic Maya!" She unwrapped herself from Maya's neck, still clutching doll tightly against herself. "Let's go now!"

Maya yelped in surprise as Pearl grabbed her hand and started to run. By the time they reached the train station, both were out of breath and giddy with carefree laughter.


End file.
